Recipe Oven-Roasted Chicken with Sumac, Pomegranate Molasses, Chilli and Sesame Seeds

[Elawin]

Preparation time: 1-2 hours
Cooking time: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, about 2 kg/4 lb 8 oz, jointed into 8 pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds

For the marinade:

2 tbsp ground sumac
2 large garlic cloves, crushed or grated
½ -1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, rub well into the chicken and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 200 C/180 C Fan/Gas 6.
3. Put the chicken in a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil and scatter the sesame seeds over. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through. (To check the chicken is cooked, pierce at the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear.)

Notes:

1. Rick Stein's recipe (from Rick Stein: From Venice to Istanbul)
2. My photo

 

[Morning Glory]

Wow! Not only is this recipe entering two current challenges it also fits the brief for the last recipe challenge. This is a lovely recipe - sumac has a citrus taste, pomegranate molasses is sweet and sour, chilli for the heat and sesame seeds to bring it all down to earth.

I now have another chicken recipe to try out...

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Wow! Not only is this recipe entering two current challenges it also fits the brief for the last recipe challenge. This is a lovely recipe - sumac has a citrus taste, pomegranate molasses is sweet and sour, chilli for the heat and sesame seeds to bring it all down to earth.

I now have another chicken recipe to try out...

I started writing something almost identical (I love how the citrus notes of the sumac play with the sourness of the pomegranate molasses) until I realized that you said it perfectly. Interestingly, this also would have qualified for the previous cooking challenge ingredient.

 

[Morning Glory]

this also would have qualified for the previous cooking challenge ingredient.

As I said! Its a smart recipe.

it also fits the brief for the last recipe challenge.

 

[Morning Glory]

We are obviously singing from the same hymn sheet @The Late Night Gourmet.

 

[Elawin]

I started writing something almost identical (I love how the citrus notes of the sumac play with the sourness of the pomegranate molasses) until I realized that you said it perfectly. Interestingly, this also would have qualified for the previous cooking challenge ingredient.

What got me about it was the fact that you could taste everything separately. The citrus taste of the sumac hit me first, followed by the chilli; then there was a distinct sweetness and sourness about it, which was obviously the pomegranate molasses (the first time I've ever used it and knowingly tasted it). The sesame needs provided a bit of texture. A good reason for keeping the accompaniments as plain and simple as possible.

 

[Morning Glory]

Well done @Elawin - this recipe wins the Spice Challenge: Sumac.